Wireless communications systems are now widely used for voice and data communications applications. A variety of different types of devices may be used with a wireless (e.g., cellular) network, including, but not limited to mobile terminals, notebook computers or personal digital assistants (PDAs) with built-in wireless transceivers, and peripheral devices, such as wireless broadband cards, that may be used to provide wireless communications for computers and other electronic devices.
In the United States, devices used for cellular services are often sold customized for the particular network to which the user subscribes. For example, mobile terminals and mobile broadband cards are typically sold through distribution channels associated with particular carriers, and are factory configured to work with the carrier's network. In particular, these devices may be preprogrammed with algorithms and/or parameters that are tailored to particularities of the carrier's network.
Often, this customization is carried out by factory programming of non-volatile memory, e.g., flash memory, contained within the device. For example, a network-specific executable image that controls operation of the device may be stored in the flash memory by the manufacturer. After sale of the device to a user, this image may be loaded and executed responsive to power-up of the device. A network-specific parameter file that includes customized parameter values may also be factory programmed into the non-volatile memory and read during startup of the device to provide device configuration.